Published by the English District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod April/May 2014Vol. XXXXII, No. 2

By Deaconess Cheryl Naumann, Redeemer Oakmont, PA

From Februa ry 2 1 t o M a r c h 5 , Deaconess Cheryl Naumann (Redeemer Lutheran Church and School, Oakmont, PA) journeyed to and from Monrovia, Liberia, at the invitation of LCMS Office of International

Deaconess training in Liberia

Mission, to assist in teaching Lutheranism 101 to deaconess students of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia (ELCL), an African church body that just became a partner church of the LCMS at our synod convention in 2013.

This course in Monrovia was the second phase of deaconess training in Liberia organized under the directorship of Deaconess Grace Rao (Director of Deaconess Ministry, LCMS Office of International Mission), with whom Cheryl traveled to Africa.

“The ten students came from all over Liberia, from five different tribes with five different languages, so the common language of instruction is

“It was very moving to see what a huge effect the LCMS is having in this part of the world that so desperately needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the hand of mercy that is simultaneously provided through the love of Jesus Christ.”

— Cheryl D. Naumann

English, which they all know as their second language,” explained Cheryl. “The two women that came the

furthest traveled three nights and two days; one of them with her three-month-old baby! Every day they were eager to learn. We started at 7:30 a.m. and finished between 4 and 6 p.m. (even having class on Saturday). We had to insist that they take breaks during the day and their whole

love of Jesus Christ. What a privilege we have to partner with and serve the people of Liberia in so many ways.”

lunch hour because when they finished lunch they would be back in their seats waiting for class to start again.”

“After our last day of teaching, ELCL President Rev. Amos Bolay took us to see the Liberian Lutheran Malaria Initiative office. I thought of Bishop Stechholz and our English District while standing in the office, since the Bishop is on the LCMS committee for the initiative and the English District has made such an effort to support the Malaria initiative. It was very moving to see what a huge effect the LCMS is having in this part of the world that so desperately needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the hand of mercy that is simultaneously provided through the

Channel MarkersThe Rev. Dr. David P. StechholzBishop & President of the English District

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continued on page 3

A Season of LifeAt this very moment, it’s as if a mini-Lent and Easter

season is being played out across God’s creation. Yes, right now it’s bleak. But we feel the warmer temperatures teasing us, hear the birds flying north, and soon we’ll see green grass, tulips, daffodils, and flowering trees surrounding us. God’s creation is in the midst of springing from death to life in our Northern Hemisphere. New life is coming! It’s in the air! And more significantly, it’s at the Cross and empty tomb!

Resurrection LifeAt this point in the Church Year, Jesus’ foes are closing

in, becoming more confrontational. Death will soon surround Jesus. Things will begin to look as bleak as God’s creation in winter. But on the horizon, new life is coming!

Moving through this Lenten season of repentance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to Holy Week, we eventually find ourselves standing under the Cross of Christ’s humiliation, agony, suffering, and death as payment for your sins and mine. But what we humans meant to be His humiliation, God uses as His Son’s glory. What we meant to be His defeat, God made His Son’s victory. And what we meant to be His Son’s death, God extends to you and me as our new life!

Easter marks Christ’s glorious Resurrection from the tomb and the Father’s declaration of the payment of your sins and mine, fully accepting the sacrifice of His beloved Son. At the crucifixion tree of our Savior and at His vacated grave, we stand covered, dripping, nourished in new life!

At Easter, it all comes together – Savior, salvation, faith, forgiveness, life forever. In Eastertide, we bask in

LIFEWhat comforting words of our

Lord: “Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)

the glory of the crucified and risen God and share with others the Good News of His resurrection and the new life that it brings!

Proclaim LifeAnd so we become advocates for life. You and I become

not silent witnesses, but like the early post-Pentecost Christians, proclaimers of our Redeemer’s Resurrection and the new life that it brings to all who are baptized and believe. And all this through God’s Word and Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is not mentioned in the Easter narrative, but He is present in the reawakening of the shattered faith of Peter, Mary Magdalene, the Apostles, the wider circle of the disciples, and yes, our Lord’s own mother, Mary. The Holy Spirit was not bound just to the dawn of Creation, a few moments in Old Testament history, the Baptism of Jesus, and the day of Pentecost. He was not just there divinely “inspiring” the sacred writers to pen the very Word of God. He was the first advocate for life. He was and is the active agent in the waters of Holy Baptism. He causes you and me also to be spokespersons of the Resurrection and advocates for life.

How so? Let me get at this via a book I’ve just read that is on the current best seller list, Proof of Heaven. This book was written by a former atheist academic neurosurgeon, Dr. Eben Alexander. This distinguished M.D.’s near-death experience (NDE) and journey into the afterlife is carefully written. Dr. Alexander chronicles his previous disbelief of God, heaven, and the soul, his NDE, and his now certain belief “that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is

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About the ChannelsThe English Channels is a publication of the

English District-LCMS, 33100 Freedom Rd., Farmington, MI 48336. Phone - (800) 755-9335 Staff Editor - Sally NaglichPage Designer - Ed WrightSend articles to: snaglich@englishdistrict.org

Channel Markers (continuation)continued from page 2not the end of personal existence…” (back cover).

Now, most of us haven’t been through a dramatic near death experience, interesting though they may be. Instead, we trust in Someone who was dead, in fact defeated death for us, and now is alive! We as people of faith, we as partakers in the Resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, accept the Word of God in all its truth and purity as faithful testimony of the “resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Nicene Creed). “I know that my Redeemer lives,” said the prophet Job (19:25), and so we sing in that beloved Easter and funeral hymn.

The Holy Spirit puts that true faith and certain hope into our hearts and works through us to share that new life we have been given in Christ with others.

I experienced that just a few weeks ago on a plane flight and a nice conversation with a middle-aged woman. She told me her life was an open book and that she struggles as a Christian who rarely attends church. But as much as she shared with me about her current relationships, there lurked part of her past that still is haunting her.

Between the Portals of Prayer, my business card, and a closing prayer as

the plane was landing, the door was opened to further conversation. Like so many others, she comes out of a very abused childhood. Yet for her and so many others there is new life to be found in Christ. So thanks be to God, He has sent us to proclaim it!

Stand for LifeWe who stand forgiven, redeemed,

and at peace under the Cross of Christ are ready to point others to the risen Lord. We direct sin-scarred travelers on life’s journey to the blessed forgiveness and life Jesus offers to all – true life, complete life, full life in body and soul that only He can give us all. Now that is life worth standing for!

And part of standing for life begins with standing for the physical lives of all those whom God has created in His world - from the embryo in a petri dish to a life-worn man or woman in hospice, and all those in between. So this spring, I invite you to “Stand for Life” at the English District’s annual Professional Church Workers Conference.

To that end, we are delighted to welcome the Rev. Dr. David Scaer as our main speaker from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN. He will share with us the theological insight that undergirds what should be every Christian’s

emphasis on life in all its aspects – physical and spiritual, body and soul.

Also among our presenters will be Gianna Jessen, an abortion survivor. Gianna is a person who was aborted while in her mother’s womb, yet did not die. Though scarred by cerebral palsy, she lived! Today she lives a meaningful life of faith in and witness to Jesus Christ.

It is my hope that her story can encourage us to stand a little taller when it comes to the life issues we face together as Christians.

So whether it is at our spring conference, praying for those in your life scared like the woman I met on the plane, or any way you can share that life we have in Christ with others - will you “Stand for Life” with me? This spring, this Eastertide of life, that is my humble prayer to God, fellow redeemed in the English District.

I pray YOU will be a standard bearer for life and for the baptismal grace of God in the power of Christ’s Resurrection.

(This article was co-authored with the Rev. Michael Brown, Associate Pastor, Redeemer Lutheran Church & Preschool, Lincoln, NE, and Coordinator of Life Ministry in the English District.)

The English District Professional Church Workers Conference will be held May 13, beginning at 7 p.m. to noon, May 15 at the Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel with dinner and worship service at Concordia University, Ann Arbor on Wednesday May 14.

Church WorkersConference

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Around the DistrictDuring Holy Week, teachers Michele Fitzgerald and

Christa Wesley, members of Martin Luther Chapel, Pennsauken, NJ, traveled to the Dominican Republic and served as missionaries. Some of their mission work included training a choir for Easter, working with a VBS program, and doing crafts and games at the group home. Michele and Christa took sports balls, musical instruments, craft supplies, and VBS materials for the children with them. The Martin Luther Chapel Dorcas Guild and congregation contributed and raised funds for their travel expenses.

The Philadelphia Zone of the LWML had an ingathering at their Spring Rally and the Sunday school children have been giving their pennies to help children in the Dominican Republic while students of Martin Luther Christian Day School raised enough money to “adopt” a child for one year.

Chaplain (Major) Michael Frese, assistant pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN, received a Purple Heart which is one of the military’s highest honors. The Purple Heart is awarded only to those wounded in combat. Indiana Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. John P. McGoff, pinned the medal onto Frese’s left lapel. The complete article which can be found at http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140223/LOCAL/302239960 in which Col. David L. Augustine, base commander, noted that “unlike most combat-wounded solders, Frese didn’t take a weapon out on the battlefield. He took a Bible,” and called Frese “a chaplain under fire.”

On March 18, 2014, Mrs. Blanche Halboth, Grace, Redford, MI was honored at the Golden (50th) Anniversary Luncheon of the Greater Detroit Council of Lutheran Women. Blanche is one of the founders of this group, which, in 1964, started the Council of Lutheran Women. Over the years, the Council has given thousands of dollars in scholarships to seminary students attending Concordia University - Ann Arbor, in addition to their involvement in other charitable activities. More than 1,000 women were present at this year’s annual fundraising and recognition luncheon, which was held in Sterling Heights, MI. Several pastors and a few other men were also present, along with many vendor tables. The musical presentation featured Kristine Stout, sharing her talents with hand-bell solos.

Mrs. Halboth has attended all 50 luncheons. Her

husband, Rev. Dr. Vic Halboth, gave the luncheon prayer; Rev. Dr. David Stechholz, Bishop/President of the English District LCMS, gave the Invocation prayer at the start of the festivities; and Rev. Dr. Dave Maier, President of the Michigan District LCMS, gave the closing prayer. Five metro Detroit-area English District congregations were in attendance, along with their “Lutheran Woman of the Year.” All of these women were honored and recognized for contributions made to their respective congregations.

Rev. Tim Manwell, Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Elk Grove Village, IL, was sworn in as a Chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) while his congregation witnessed. The Captain (IL075 Woodfield Composite Squadron) was sworn in by Illinois Wing Chaplain Lt. Col. Marcie Strahl. Observing are two members of his squadron, SM Kim Lee and Cadet Austin Lee.

CAP is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force - a civilian, all-volunteer, aviation force for the purpose of emergency services, search and rescue and more. Rev. Manwell served in the U.S. Air Force from 1983-87. Through the efforts at Holy Spirit Lutheran to be a “military friendly” congregation - specifically through their Packages-4-Patriots program – Rev. Manwell came into contact with the Chaplain Lt. Col. Marcie Strahl, and decided to volunteer. He is now finishing his training to be a “mission” Chaplain, where he will offer pastoral care during emergencies and search and rescue missions.

The Crafty Ladies group of Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY presented lap blankets which they made for the residents of North Hardin Health and Rehabilitation Center in nearby Radcliff. The group has continued on page 5

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worked together on this project over the past winter. Pictured with the colorful array of crocheted blankets are Pam Switzer, Director of Activities at North Hardin, and Roberta Tannahill from Grace Lutheran Church.

Around the District (continuation)continued from page 4

Preschoolers ages 1-4 from Hales Corners Lutheran Schools, Hales Corners, WI celebrated the blessing of attending a Lutheran School during Lutheran Schools Week. On January 29, a special Early Childhood Chapel was held at HCL Steeple View Retirement Community. The little ones sang praises, listened to Bible stories and worshipped as preschoolers can do - with great joy and enthusiasm!

The Youth Group at Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartland, MI held a “sock hop” dance for families on March 15. The event included music, dancing, games, prizes, homemade milkshakes, root beer floats, pizza, and other goodies. All proceeds from the event will support Youth in Missions at Our Savior. Two Youth in Missions trips are planned for the summer. In July, high

school youth will be going to the hills of North Carolina to help fix up homes in an Appalachian Servant Event. Then in August, a group of high school students will work one-on-one with intellectually and deve lopmenta l ly challenged individuals at a SonRise camp in Indiana. Both of these trips are designed to give the youth opportunity to witness their faith in action.

As part of their 50th anniversary celebration, Joyous Jubilee † Sharing God’s Grace, members of Lutheran Church of the Risen Savior, Green Valley, AZ, have produced and are selling a DVD of the church’s history. Proceeds from DVD sales will be contributed to the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. They have set a three-year congregational goal of $50,000 toward this effort.

L u t h e r a n Church—Missouri Synod Pres ident Emeritus Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick visited with Pastors John Stieve (l) and Steve Patton (r) at the Joyous Jubilee † Sharing God’s Grace dinner.

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April/May 2014

Connect With Us!Looking for more ways to stay up-to-date on

everything happening in the English District? Join us online!

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EnglishDistrictLCMS, and follow us on Twitter: @EngDistrictLCMS.

Read our blog at englishdistrict.org/resources/blog.

You’ll find the latest information on conferences and events, insights for your church leaders and congregation and more.

We look forward to connecting with you!

School Ministries Executive Gail Holzer presents Diane Olmstead with the 2014 Lumen Christi Award: English District Professional of the Year on March 23rd during their annual Preschool Sunday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakmont, PA. The presentation was a surprise, with her husband and three adult children present at the service, along with many of the school’s preschool students and their families.

Lumen Christi Award Presentation

By Rev. Kerry Buttke, New MexicoDriving through Indiana to my former home in Wisconsin,

I had the engine oil pressure red light come on in my car. Stopping immediately, I lifted the hood of the car only to find everything covered with oil. Looking around, I saw a small repair shop about a block away. I walked over and told the man what happened.

He immediately turned around and took a couple quarts of oil from the shelf, handed them to me and said, put in the oil and drive the car into the service bay, I’ll have the door open for you. Upon doing this, he looked things over and went to work repairing the leak.

When he was done and the car was ready to use again, I reached for my wallet. His response was that he had recently broke down in Wisconsin. He shared how a man stopped to help, took him twenty miles for parts and stayed with him until his car was fixed.

He said that the man would not take anything for helping him. The repairman then told me that he appreciated being helped so much that he wanted to help me. No charge for his labor.

That was showing gratitude for the man who showed him mercy. This mechanic had “An Attitude of Gratitude.”

Do we have “An Attitude of Gratitude” for what Christ has done for us? Do we appreciate the mercy that has been shown to us? All too often we let the material things of this world blot out the mercy shown to us by our Savior. Our gracious God gives us everything, including the gift of His law which reveals our need for a Savior. As we struggle to be good Christian Stewards, may we remember that through the law we receive appreciation for the Gospel.

The conduct of a good steward is a direct response of his state of mind and inward attitude. The more we appreciate the gift of salvation earned for us on the cross, the more we want to be good stewards of all that our loving God has given us.

It is only through Christ that we can get a proper “Attitude.” That comes to us through God’s Word and Sacraments.

May each of us as Christians show our gratitude for God’s mercy as we serve and interact with others. We also need to pray not only for our own ability to show gratitude, but that each member of the congregation may also show “An Attitude of Gratitude.”

An Attitudeof Gratitude

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Recently I attended a session at the “Best Practices” conference entitled, “How to Share Christ with Your Friends of Another Faith.”

In that session the presenter shared three words that struck a chord with me. Those three words were Good, Better, Best. He went on to explain that churches often do “Good” things that make a difference in the lives of the people participating in a particular event or ministry.

However, do we intentionally utilize those events to make them “Better” by establishing meaningful relationships with those participating, especially with those who may not have any relationship with

Serving the CongregationBy Lavern Kruse, Congregational Services Executive

Good, Better or BestJesus.

He then went on to say, that what makes it the “Best” event or ministry is when those relationships continue to be nurtured so that eventually it may end up with the individual or individuals by God’s grace, becoming active disciples of Jesus.

This session led me to reflect on some of the ministries I’ve been involved with and it caused me to ask myself, “Were these good events? Did we intentionally make it better by building new relationships, and did God use us to make it the best by introducing someone to Jesus?”

The English District Endowment Fund (EDEF) has a unique purpose in the life of our district - to empower ministry beyond what is possible through the annual unrestricted gifts from individuals and congregations.

It is a perpetual fund established to provide a convenient method to receive and administer gifts and bequests from members and congregations.

The purpose of the Fund is to assist congregations and ministries of the English District through grants which are funded from the investment income earned.

The EDEF will provide grants to assist congregations in:

• developing new and prophetic ministries,• supporting current missions and ministries,• revitalization efforts, and • other approved mission endeavors.Some examples of possible grants would be

to support the establishment or expansion of a preschool, Sunday school or local evangelistic or mercy ministry.

Any English District congregation may submit a

The English District Endowment Fundgrant application form which will be included in a packet of information sent to each English District congregation.

Brochures describing the EDEF and ways members can make donations will also be included. Since grants will be funded from investment income earned by the EDEF, congregation and member gifts are an important part of growing the fund asset base and will not be distributed but will increase the amount of investment income available.

A Board of Managers has been elected and has been meeting regularly to manage the fund and will review and recommend requests for grants to the Board of Directors of the English District for final approval.

Congregational leaders are encouraged to promote the Fund and consider ways to use grant funds to further the Kingdom work of our Lord. Please contact the English District office for further information: 800-755-9335.

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English District Official ActsPastors Ordination/InstallationThe Rev. Dale Kaster, Installed, March 12, 2014, Missionary, International Mission - LCMS

Calls Received/AcceptedThe Rev. Leon Jameson (SMP), Associate Pastor, Hales Corners, Hales Corners, WI; The Rev. Bradley Urlaub, Associate Pastor, Faith, Arlington Heights, IL; The Rev. Fred Hearn, Sole Pastor, Concordia, Toledo, OH (Ohio District); Candidate Arthur Drehman, Sole Pastor, Our Savior’s, Saint George, UT

Change of PositionThe Rev. Mark Braden, November 17, 2013, Sole Pastor to Senior Pastor

Change of StatusKathleen Gridley, DCE, July 6, 2013, Active to Non-Candidate

Called to GloryThe Rev. Ervin B. Rasmussen, February 12, 2014

Transfers InJudy Thompson, December 12, 2013, Michigan

District; Matthew Beisel, January 28, 2014, Northern Illinois; The Rev. Keith Christiansen, February 7, 2014, Nebraska District

Transfers OutThe Rev. Fred Hearn, February 23, 2014, Ohio District; The Rev. James May, March 18, 2014, Ohio District

The following were transferred to the Pacific Southwest District on January 16, 2014: The Rev. Dr. Arnold Frank; The Rev. James Holt; The Rev. James Kirkman Jr.; The Rev David Schmidt; The Rev. Dr. Jeff Schrank; Jon Doyle; Cheryl Ehlers; Emily Fry; Mary Gehring; Gary Greder; Tiffany Hartfield; Bill Hodgson; Andrew Hulke; Jessica Jenkins; Kris Krause; Sue Krieger; Joan Laubenstein; Bonnie Merritt; Bob Merritt; Donna Plum; Brenda Pruhs; Elizabeth Riske; Tracy Skoog; Charles Tasler; Deborah Tasler; Jennifer Weber; Tamara Worthington

Transfers Out - Congregations/SchoolsChrist, Phoenix, AZ, January 16, 2014, Pacific Southwest District; Christ Lutheran School and Preschool, Phoenix, AZ, January 16, 2014, Pacific Southwest District

Financial aid forms and information for English District Future Church Workers Scholarship Fund for the 2014-15 academic year are available on-line (www.englishdistrict.org/ministries/school/forms-and-reports). Scholarships are available for future church worker students from English District congregations that are preparing for full-time church work at a Concordia University System school or one of the LCMS seminaries. Please contact Mary Ann Holvenstot with questions (800-755-9335).

Scholarship Fundinformation

Detroit area confirmation students attended an over-night retreat, held March 21 at Concordia University-Ann Arbor. Several of our pastors from Windsor, ON, and suburban Detroit, along with the Catechumens of their congregations enjoyed the retreat. Photo credit: Pastor Tim Holzerland